[Web4lib] Attending/Presenting at conferences in difficult times
Jean Hewlett
hewlett at usfca.edu
Wed Feb 10 18:43:20 EST 2010
Robert, I'm going to assume you are playing devil's advocate here.
Certainly online conferences are a wonderful way to extend the reach of
those who couldn't attend in person, whether because of financial
considerations, press of work and/or family, health issues, or many
other causes.
However, I've never heard even the most ardent proponent of online
conferences seriously suggest that they are a total replacement for
meeting in person. It's definitely possible to forge lasting
friendships online, by phone, or by mail, but a personal encounter takes
things to an entirely different level. Somehow even the most robust
backchat on Twitter just isn't an adequate replacement for getting
together and discussing an issue over drinks or dinner.
I spend a great deal of time in virtual worlds, primarily SecondLife.
This has opened up an entire world of professional contacts I'd never
dreamed existed, and I'm incredibly grateful for the ability to attend
online meetings.
Attending a conference on SecondLife provides a very similar experience
to attending one in person, much more so than a typical online
conference or webinar. This is one reason companies such as Sun use
SecondLife and similar virtual world platforms for many of their
corporate meetings. The experience of being part of an audience who are
hearing a speaker feels extremely close to the real thing, and you also
get a real sense of being part of a larger group that's gathered
together and is moving between various events.
Still, even the best online conference doesn't offer the opportunities
for informal networking that occur at a real life conference. Chat rooms
and backchannels are great, but they aren't a substitute for interacting
in person. For this reason, people who spend a great deal of time
engaged with online friends also put a lot of energy into organizing
real world conferences, meetups and tweetups.
Snacks and meals are an especially interesting area. We still haven't
found a virtual way to replicate the emotional closeness that comes from
sharing food. It's common to offer virtual food and drinks at SecondLife
meetings, but the overall effect is a bit flat, just a few steps up from
having somebody send you an imaginary beer on FaceBook. Some people
believe the reason group dancing is so popular on SecondLife is that it
provides icebreaking and bonding effects similar to the ones sharing
food provides in real life.
Earlier today, I attended Metanomics, a talk show that's broadcast over
SecondLife's inworld television network. The program was about using
virtual worlds for education and training. Someone - I forget if it was
a speaker of somebody on the backchat - made the point that it isn't all
or nothing, it's a mixture. It's not a matter of replacing face to face
interaction with online meetings, it's a matter of using whichever
platform is most effective for a particular purpose.
Jean Hewlett
Regional Librarian, University of San Francisco
aka Riven Homewood, Director, Steelhead Public Library, SecondLife
>> Could you provide a few examples of the problems you face in
>> libraries that are not investigated and discussed in a book or an article?
>>
>
> Discussing a problem, and finding (or developing) a solution that meets your local needs, are two very different things.
>
> Take discovery, for example. It's a large, complex problem that academic libraries have been working on for decades.
>
> Are there books and articles that have investigated various aspects of the problem? Too many to count. Can I just pick up a book and find a "fix" for my library? Nope. And that was the point I was making.
>
> Attending conferences allows me to keep up on the latest work in this area -- and there's a lot going on. It allows me to form relationships with vendors and other libraries that have led to projects that address some of these problems. And, as I mentioned previously, my employer has seen real, tangible (as in actual $$$ saved) benefits in that.
>
> --Dave
>
> ==================
> David Walker
> Library Web Services Manager
> California State University
> http://xerxes.calstate.edu
>
>
> From: Robert Balliot [rballiot at gmail.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, February 09, 2010 3:23 PM
> To: Walker, David
> Cc: rballiot at oceanstatelibrarian.com; Ross Singer; web4lib at webjunction.org
> Subject: Re: [Web4lib] Attending/Presenting at conferences in difficult times / Dissolution of Reference
>
>
> Dave,
>
> Could you provide a few examples of the problems you face in libraries that are not investigated and discussed in a book or an article?
>
> Of course, once you do that, they will be and the point will be moot.
>
> ~
>
> On a tangential topic, one of the things that troubles me most about the library profession is the dissolution of reference. Online access to information through websites is sold as a replacement to human interaction. Dave has stated that forming relationships helps to solve his problems. That is what great reference librarians do. They develop relationships with patrons / students using interpersonal skills and oral delivery.
>
> Main Street problems have certainly hit academia. At Brown, they face a $740 million endowment loss. The pressure to take early retirement is there and three of the most skilled subject specialists that I know are leaving. Their massive cumulative knowledge and interpersonal delivery skill is going to be lost. Can it be replaced by computer interaction? Will web based interaction be the most effective process or will it effectively lead to a dumbing down of libraries? If answers are not directly available from the web catalog, will they be considered unanswered?
>
> Yesterday, Library Journal told me that they only had a 'record' of four book reviews I did for them between 2007 and 2009. I started reviewing books for them in 1997, but the humans who knew that are gone.
>
> R. Balliot
> http://oceanstatelibrarian.com
>
>
>
> On Tue, Feb 9, 2010 at 2:57 PM, Walker, David <dwalker at calstate.edu> wrote:
>
> Robert,
>
> Many of the problems we face in libraries are not simple. You can't just read a book to find a fix. Emailing people out of the blue can only get you so far.
>
> Having the opportunity to talk in depth with colleagues and vendors at conferences about common problems, and forming relationships that can lead to continued conversations (and even full-blown projects) after the conference is, I think, invaluable.
>
> It's an investment. And, like any investment, it may take time to pay off.
>
> For example, some of the contacts I've made at conferences over the last five years were critical to us implementing an open source system here to replace an older commercial system -- to the tune of $30k in annual savings. Was it worth it, then, for my employer to send me to those conferences? You bet, and then some!
>
> That being said, the State of California is not footing any conference travel for me this year.
>
>
> --Dave
>
> ==================
> David Walker
> Library Web Services Manager
> California State University
> http://xerxes.calstate.edu
>
>
>
> From: Robert L. Balliot [rballiot at oceanstatelibrarian.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, February 09, 2010 10:56 AM
> To: Walker, David; 'Ross Singer'; 'Robert Balliot'
>
> Cc: web4lib at webjunction.org
> Subject: RE: [Web4lib] Attending/Presenting at conferences in difficult times
>
>
>
>
> Dave,
>
> California has a "$19.9 billion deficit for the remaining five months of this fiscal year" - San Jose Mercury.
>
>
> You *may* be able to solve a problem at work by getting state funds to go to a conference and "gossiping over snacks"? You *may* make a contact that is helpful in the future?
>
> You *may* be able to solve a problem at work by finding and reading a book by an expert on the problem. You could contact the author for more information.
>
>
> *************************************************
> Robert L. Balliot
> Skype: RBalliot
> Bristol, Rhode Island
> http://oceanstatelibrarian.com/contact.htm
> *************************************************
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Walker, David [mailto:dwalker at calstate.edu]
> Sent: Tuesday, February 09, 2010 1:34 PM
> To: Robert L. Balliot; 'Ross Singer'; 'Robert Balliot'
> Cc: web4lib at webjunction.org
> Subject: RE: [Web4lib] Attending/Presenting at conferences in difficult times
>
> Informally talking to people at conferences about the problems you face at work -- the "gossiping over snacks" comment made earlier -- might very well lead to ideas for how to solve those problems, as well as contacts who can be useful to you in future projects.
>
>
> --Dave
>
> ==================
> David Walker
> Library Web Services Manager
> California State University
> http://xerxes.calstate.edu
> ________________________________________
> From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org [web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Robert L. Balliot [rballiot at oceanstatelibrarian.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, February 09, 2010 9:53 AM
> To: 'Ross Singer'; 'Robert Balliot'
> Cc: web4lib at webjunction.org
> Subject: Re: [Web4lib] Attending/Presenting at conferences in difficult times
>
> The topic was: Attending/Presenting at conferences in difficult times
>
> If attendees actually participate - such as deliver papers, conduct
> meetings, and contribute to the event in some recognizable way, that seems
> justifiable. Snacks, bookmarks and gossip and a nebulous valuation of
> networking, however, do not quantify. I have never heard of any group
> defining a professional activity as snacks, bookmarks, and gossip. But, I
> guess they could ~
>
> "How do you like the conference so far?"
> "It is great. It only cost two thousand dollars and I get to be away from
> work for a few days."
> "How is work going?"
> "I hate it there, I never seem to get anything done."
> "I'm with you there! Same at my library."
> "Hey, have you tried these snacks? I like the spicy pigs-in-a-blanket best!"
> "Me too. Oh, did you hear? They are giving away bookmarks today at the
> vendor booth."
> "Really? We don't have bookmarks and vendors will never show us anything out
> our library. I am certainly glad I came!"
> "Me too! Here is my card, glad we could share."
>
> Sadly, there are many, many libraries cutting materials budgets, staff,
> services, and hours while others snack on.
>
> *************************************************
> Robert L. Balliot
> Skype: RBalliot
> Bristol, Rhode Island
> http://oceanstatelibrarian.com/contact.htm
> *************************************************
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org
> [mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Ross Singer
> Sent: Tuesday, February 09, 2010 12:18 PM
> To: Robert Balliot
> Cc: web4lib at webjunction.org
> Subject: Re: [Web4lib] Attending/Presenting at conferences in difficult
> times
>
> Employers understand the dynamics of conferences as well. The
> "social" effects are positive - you learn as much or more from
> interacting with peers, former colleagues, etc. as you do from formal
> presentations.
>
> Employers understand this because /everybody goes to conferences at some
> point/.
>
> Code4Lib (for example) has really struggled with the balance between
> the traditional "we need formal presentations so people can be assured
> travel funding" and "how can we utilize these 250 smart people in a
> room for 2.5 days".
>
> Personally, I don't usually get much "new" or "useful" or the
> intersection thereof from majority of presentations at any conference
> I attend. There is generally a plethora of useful connections,
> information, ideas, and collaboration however at lunch, between
> sessions, during breaks, at the bar, etc.
>
> We are, after all, supposed to be professionals, right? These aren't
> training seminars; they're gatherings of our like-minded (or
> like-jobbed) peers to discuss our given successes and problems.
>
> -Ross.
>
> On Tue, Feb 9, 2010 at 10:51 AM, Robert Balliot <rballiot at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Yes, those are marketing methods that make a conference more attractive to
>> you and I am certain they are important to other people too.
>>
>> But, how exactly do snacks, gossip, and bookmarks benefit your employer?
>>
> If
>
>> that is the *real benefit* of a meeting or conference, then how would an
>> employer justify the expense?
>>
>>
>> R. Balliot
>> http://oceanstatelibrarian.com
>>
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Feb 9, 2010 at 10:27 AM, Gillian Wiseman
>>
> <gwiseman at ci.waco.tx.us>wrote:
>
>>> Speaking merely as an attendee of many conferences, both local
>>> workshops, state library association conferences, and national
>>> conferences (CIL, ALA, etc...) the real benefit to ME from going to
>>> conferences isn't the "meet the speaker" opportunity.
>>>
>>> It is having snacks at a table in the hallway with three other
>>> librarians from other states and cities, gossiping about how hard it is
>>> to do "this" or overcome "that". It's the little things like bringing
>>> bookmarks home for the teens and saying "I picked those with you in
>>> mind". Or seeing a particular product in person, touching it and talking
>>> to the vendor about a specific application I had in mind in my library.
>>>
>>> No level of videoconferencing will ever completely replace that; which
>>> said, if I have to choose between NOT getting any conference, and
>>> attending the programs online, I'll take online any day.
>>>
>>> Gillian Wiseman
>>> Electronic Resources Librarian
>>> Waco-McLennan County Library
>>> 1717 Austin Ave
>>> Waco TX 76701
>>> 254-750-5944
>>> gwiseman at ci.waco.tx.us
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org
>>> [mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Jill O'Neill
>>> Sent: Tuesday, February 09, 2010 7:28 AM
>>> To: 'John Fereira'
>>> Cc: web4lib at webjunction.org
>>> Subject: Re: [Web4lib] Attending/Presenting at conferences in difficult
>>> times
>>>
>>> Speaking as an event organizer, I am sure that most conferences are
>>> seeing
>>> shifts in a variety of ways. Certainly speakers require more
>>> subsidization
>>> of travel. Organizations don't send as many people to a single
>>> conference as
>>> they might have done five years ago. Costs are up in the hospitality
>>> industry in terms of catering and that too may force associations to
>>> re-evaluate traditional practices in supplying attendees. There are the
>>> issues associated with technology (such as supplying wi-fi to
>>> registrants).
>>>
>>> That said, one of the most frequently cited rationales for attending a
>>> conference in a face-to-face setting is associated with the opportunity
>>> to
>>> meet the real person. Doing it online offsets limited travel, but
>>> there's
>>> nothing like shaking a hard in real time and in real space to cement a
>>> connection.
>>>
>>> So, John, I would suggest to you that conference attendance *will*
>>> change
>>> over the course of the next ten years, but we're not entirely done with
>>> physical bodies gathering in a ballroom to discuss issues and celebrate
>>> successes!
>>>
>>> And while we're on the topic of attending conferences, this year's NFAIS
>>> Annual Conference features speakers Clay Shirky, Lorcan Dempsey, John
>>> Wilbanks, and Peter Brantley (http://bit.ly/5TOr1q). The venue is the
>>> Hyatt
>>> at the Bellevue in Philadelphia and the dates are February 28-Mar 2,
>>> 2009.
>>> But the theme of the conference is what is most relevant to this
>>> audience,
>>> Redefining the Value of Information: Exploring the New Equation!
>>>
>>> Jill
>>>
>>>
>>> Jill O'Neill
>>> Director, Planning & Communication
>>> NFAIS
>>> (v) 215-893-1561
>>> (email) jilloneill at nfais.org
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org
>>> [mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of John Fereira
>>> Sent: Tuesday, February 09, 2010 6:53 AM
>>> To: a.j.p.van.den.brekel at med.umcg.nl
>>> Cc: web4lib at webjunction.org
>>> Subject: [Web4lib] Attending/Presenting at conferences in difficult
>>> times
>>>
>>> a.j.p.van.den.brekel at med.umcg.nl wrote:
>>>
>>>> International conference on emerging technologies in academic
>>>>
>>> libraries
>>> 2010 (emtacl10)
>>>
>>>> 26-28 April 2010, Trondheim, Norway
>>>>
>>>> This is a new international conference for academic librarians,
>>>>
>>> information professionals, academic staff, students, library system
>>> developers and suppliers, among others. The conference aims to provide
>>> answers to the following questions: What can academic libraries do to
>>> address change? How can we adapt? Which technologies can/should/must we
>>> use/create? (View the conference programme
>>>
>>>> <http://www.ntnu.no/ub/emtacl/?programme>)
>>>>
>>> This looks like a good conference. "Unfortunately" I'm going to be
>>> presenting a workshop at a conference in Montpellier, France on the
>>> 28th. Feel my pain.
>>>
>>> Actually, the real reason for responding (although I changed the
>>> subject) was that I was wondering how others managed to go to
>>> conferences such as these across the pond (for those of us in North
>>> America).
>>>
>>> I've been on the planning committee for an open source organization
>>> (Jasig) conference for the past several years and the registration
>>> numbers for our upcoming and previous conference are way down. Most
>>> institutions just won't foot the bill to send people to conferences.
>>> Over the past couple of years it seems that almost every conference
>>> announcement I see eventually has a "registration deadline extended"
>>> post so I suspect that conferences in general are getting lower
>>> attendance figures.
>>>
>>>
>>> At my library I can essentially attend only one library funded
>>> conference a year (my attendance at one in Montpellier is being paid for
>>>
>>> by an external source). Do ya'll pay your own way to some of the
>>> conferences that you attend? The Handheld Librarian conference last
>>> year and the one upcoming have set a pretty good precedent for how
>>> effective a virtual conference can be. Is that the direction that we
>>> will be going? While I made a lot of good contacts through the last
>>> hhlib, those face-to-face encounters just can be duplicated virtually.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Web4lib mailing list
>>> Web4lib at webjunction.org
>>> http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Web4lib mailing list
>>> Web4lib at webjunction.org
>>> http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Web4lib mailing list
>>> Web4lib at webjunction.org
>>> http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/
>>>
>>>
>>>
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